This invention relates to a battery-powered, hand-guided power tool, and in particular to a hammer formed with structure for the releasable mounting of a rechargeable battery pack with the hammer, and a locking device for locking the battery pack in its operative position with the hammer.
A power tool, such as a drilling hammer, is disclosed in German Patent Publication No. DE 195 21 423 (A1) and includes a tool housing. The tool further includes a rail-and-channel structure which is formed on a side portion of the tool housing and extends on a front side of a portion of the housing. The tool housing is also formed with a rear hand grip substantially at right angles to a longitudinal axis of a tool holder supported at the front of the tool. A spring-loaded latch element is located in a lower part of the hand grip, which, when in a locking position and with a battery housing assembled with the tool housing, engages in a latch recess of the battery housing to thus hold the battery pack in its operative position on the tool housing. The latch element is accessible through an opening at the lower end of the hand grip, so that a user may move the latch element, manually against the force of a compression spring, out of the locking position and into a release position.
The hand grip of the hammer disclosed in the above-noted German Publication No. DE 195 21 423 is formed with an opening for the user""s hand, but is not structured for ergonomic comfort. Also, it appears that it would be virtually impossible to hold and support the battery pack in one hand, to prevent the pack from falling, while moving the latch element into its release position with the same hand.
The drilling hammer, as disclosed in German Publication No. DE 195 21 423, includes a first half-shell and a second half-shell which, when assembled, form the tool housing for supporting therein various components of the hammer. Prior to assembly of the first and second half-shells, the compression spring and the latch element are located within an inner portion of the first half shell, and are securely held in place when the first and second half-shells are assembled. With this structure, it is necessary that a support be formed in one of the half-shells to support the latch element. If there is no battery pack assembled with the tool housing, the support prevents the latch element from being pressed by the compression spring completely out of an opening through which the latch element is positioned to engage the ultimately inserted battery pack. Although this awkward mounting of the spring and the latch element in a tool housing formed by two half shells is possible, such an assembly is not possible when the tool housing, or that part of the tool housing that receives the latch element, is in the form of a one-piece barrel type housing.
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a power tool having a latch structure which is simple to construct and is easily mounted during assembly of the components of the power tool.
With this and other objects in mind, this invention contemplates a battery-powered, hand-guided power tool having structure for the releasable mounting of a battery pack, which includes a tool housing having a gripping portion. A rail-and-channel structure is provided for the releasable mounting of the battery pack with the tool housing upon relative movement between the battery pack and the tool housing in a prescribed direction. A locking device is located on the tool housing and includes at least one latch element movable, in a direction substantially perpendicular to the prescribed direction, into a latch recess formed in a housing of the battery pack in a locking position in which the battery pack is locked in an operative position on the tool housing. A frame part is located on the tool housing and is formed with a frame-part recess adjacent the rail-and-channel structure for receipt of the at least one latch element in the locking position. A biasing element is located on the tool housing for normally urging the at least one latch element in a direction away from the frame-part recess. An operating element in the form of a lever is mounted for pivotal movement relative to the tool housing, and has a first arm formed on the lever which is accessible for pivoting movement thereof by a user. A second arm is formed on the lever and is in engagement with the at least one latch element for enabling the at least one latch element to be moved, upon movement of the first arm, between battery-pack locking and release positions. The operating element supports the latch element from being displaced completely from the frame-part recess.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment, the appended claims and the accompanying drawings.